How Much Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Cost?
If you were seriously injured in an accident that was not your fault, a personal injury lawyer can help you. Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency-fee-basis. This means that you owe them nothing upfront; they only collect a fee if they secure compensation for you. In other words, if they don’t win, you don’t pay.
Pursuing justice for your injuries and associated expenses is your right and do not require a deposit or payment for services from your personal finances. If you experienced serious injuries due to someone else’s negligence, then you should consult with a personal injury lawyer now.
Free Case Consultation
Free case consultation with a personal injury lawyer can help both you and the lawyer. If after reviewing your evidence, the lawyer agrees to accept your case, you should feel better knowing that your case is in good hands.
Important evidence to discuss and share with your lawyer during your consultation includes the following:
- Police reports
- Accident scene pictures/videos
- Witness statements
If your accident was due to a slip and fall in a store, a manager’s report or “store incident report” is valuable documentation for your case. Your injuries were not your fault and you deserve compensation. By gathering all pertinent information and discussing your case with a personal injury lawyer, you can help the lawyer decide upon the best course of action for you.
Act Quickly
The statute of limitations is a law that sets a time period for filing a civil action. Texas law limits the filing of personal injury—and wrongful death claims—to two years. Twenty-four months is not a large amount of time when you are adjusting to your new reality. Whether you are dealing with extensive injuries or mourning the loss of a close loved one, you must act quickly if you seek to file a civil lawsuit.
Be Careful About What You Share and With Whom You Share It
Feelings of anger and frustration are quite common after an accident that was not your fault. While those close to you may want to know the details about what caused your injuries, it is important that you not share any information about your case.
In today’s age of social media and smartphones, sharing pictures of your accident or making comments regarding your accident may possibly harm your litigation. It is also especially important to not speak with anyone connected to the responsible party.
Pursuing a civil action is a legal matter that the courts take very seriously. To secure the best possible outcome of your case, keep the details of your accident private, and only discuss them with your lawyer.
Do Not Speak With Insurance Company Representatives
A settlement offer from an insurance company may seem like a large sum, and you may feel tempted to accept it. The fact is that an insurance company’s initial offer is usually a low-dollar amount intended to:
- Close your case quickly, and
- Protect the insurance company’s best interests.
Insurance companies are very good at pressuring claimants to accept less than the full value of their cases. Personal injury lawyers are well-aware of tactics used by insurance companies, and the right attorney can hold them accountable for fair compensation.
Accepting a settlement offer without legal representation can leave you without the opportunity to pursue civil action later. This is especially troubling if your medical condition worsens.
The right personal injury lawyer can aggressively represent your best interests. If your lawyer is unable to reach a settlement out-of-court, he or she should be ready and willing to go to trial.
Protect Your Best Interests
You may feel worried about the expense of retaining a personal injury attorney to represent you. This is why it helps to understand how the fee process works. Consulting an attorney is usually free. Most personal injury lawyers offer free case evaluations, either over the phone, in person, or online.
Furthermore, most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency-fee-basis, which means that their fees are contingent—dependent on—winning your case. When you secure legal representation, you are the client. Your attorney is performing a service for you and using his or her education, experience, and legal skills to protect your best interests.
You Can’t Afford NOT to Retain a Personal Injury Lawyer
Thinking that you cannot afford to hire a personal injury lawyer is wrong and prevents you from maximizing your compensation. A personal injury lawyer fights for your rights and does not take on a case that he or she thinks is impossible to win. While each case and outcome is different, the challenge before the lawyer is to secure the best outcome possible for your specific case.
Personal injury cases take time. Like your injuries, there is no quick fix to your financial stress. The right personal injury for you is one that keeps you informed throughout the process with open lines of communication.
If you experienced serious injuries due to the negligent or reckless actions of someone else, you should hold the negligent party responsible for those actions. By doing so, you may just prevent the same thing from happening to another innocent victim in the future.
If you lost a loved one in an accident, you should determine your eligibility to file a wrongful death claim. Exploring your opportunities for pursuing civil litigation won’t bring back your loved one, but it will help you seek justice. The financial stress of funeral and burial costs, along with the loss of income, are just a few examples of why you should pursue civil action on behalf of your loved one’s estate.
Time is of the essence for securing legal representation. You can afford a personal injury lawyer, because he or she generally will not require a deposit or upfront payment for services. Seek the legal help you need during this most difficult time. Don’t delay in contacting a personal injury lawyer. The sooner an attorney can review your case, the sooner he or she can start the litigation process.
